Yayoi Festival 弥生祭

Every year, on April 13 to 17, Futarasan-jinja Shrine in Nikko holds one of its oldest and most popular events. The 1,200-year-old Yayoi festival celebrates the coming of spring with hopes for good fortune in the year.

Futarasan-jinja Shrine can be accessed by bus or a long, pleasant walk from Nikko, the nearest train station.

Walking to the shrine gives you ample opportunity to see many parts of Nikko . The walk from Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station takes about 45 minutes.

From Nikko Station or Tobu Nikko Station, you can take the world heritage tour bus which makes stops at the UNESCO Heritage sites including Futarasan Shrine . The ride will take about 15 minutes.

Since the main theme of the festival is spring, much of the event and many of the people participating are decorated in pink, representing cherry blossoms. Even though the festival has modernized somewhat, the strict traditional rules and customs are still closely followed.

The main event of the festival is held on the last day. Twelve lavishly decorated floats are pulled across town. Enjoy the festive atmosphere while walking through historic Nikko , listen to the music, and enjoy yourself with the other festival goers.